By Jim Newell

Review Editor

Oakland County Sheriff’s Office deputies investigated after a student at Lake Orion High School threatened to “slaughter” teachers and classmates last week.

And while the threat does not appear to be credible – the student later told deputies that it was a joke – the case is still open and any threat or comment about school violence triggers protocols and is thoroughly investigated, said Lt. Dan Toth, commander of the OCSO Orion Township Substation.

“We take every comment seriously. In this case, the assessment was that it’s not a credible threat,” Toth said. “Even though it may have been meant as a joke, it’s not a joking matter. And one joking comment can adversely affect a student’s life.”

The student, 16, reportedly walked out of a classroom after a teacher asked him to complete a task, which he refused to do. The student allegedly said, “I will slaughter you all” as he left the classroom, according to a sheriff’s office incident report.

Deputies went to the student’s home after an anonymous caller reported the threat to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center and gave authorities the suspect’s name.

Deputies interviewed the student in the presence of his parents, who said they did have weapons in the home but that they were locked up, according to the report.

The student admitted to making the threat but said he had done so jokingly and denied intending to actually inflict any harm toward students or staff, the report stated.

Toth said parents should take the opportunity to speak with their children about making any sort of threat at school, at the bus stop, on bus rides or online.

“It’s something that parents need to speak to their children about. School violence is taken extremely seriously,” Toth said. “Parents and students need to understand what the consequences are when you transmit a message like this, whether verbally or electronically. You will get a response and we will follow our protocols to assess the threat.”

Those protocols include investigating the case, questioning the student and parents and a security screening. The entire process, Toth said, can be “intrusive and intense.”

The sheriff’s office also will forward this case report to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office for review – and will do so even in incidents when authorities do not deem the threat credible.

Authorities also spoke with high school Principal Steve Hawley on Saturday about the incident, Toth said, adding that the district will follow its own protocols and conduct its own security assessment.

The sheriff’s office also will conduct a securing screening independent of the school district’s, and will then meet with school officials and compare notes prior to the student returning to school, Toth said.

The Lake Orion Review did contact the Lake Orion Community Schools district administration for comment.

“As the Oakland County Sheriff’s report indicates, it was not a credible threat of school violence,” district Communications Director Mark Snyder said.

When asked for comment on what action the district was taking, Snyder said the district could not comment, citing privacy laws. The district also did not comment on how it was addressing student security.

“The highest priority is where our children are at and we’re not taking any chances,” Toth said. “There’s something to be learned from this. This is a teachable moment and it’s not going to change.”